School Age Services has New Center for Growth

By Kari Hawkins, Redstone Rocket StaffApril 10, 2009

In Memory of Myra
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Redstone Arsenal leaders applaud after unveiling a plaque in memory of Myra Garriott that will be displayed on the front exterior wall of the new School Age Services Center. Unveiling the plaque are, from left, Andre Terry, chief of Child, Youth & Sc... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Fun Place
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

There's nothing like sitting around a table eating pizza and drinking punch with your buds.

And that's exactly what six young boys were doing Friday during a reception following the grand opening and dedication of the Myra M. Garriott School Age Services Center.

As they sat in the atrium of the new multi-functional, 22,602-square-foot building, the boys talked about their old SAS facility and the new center. All around them were the physical signs of the Army's commitment to children - a gift that includes four activity rooms, an arts and crafts room, a computer lab and homework center, two youth education rooms, a youth demo kitchen and a gym.

"It's better than the old building," said 8-year-old Joseph Gordon.

Although his friend John Reid liked the playground better at the old building, he did concede that the new center had both an outside and inside playground, and plenty of room to spread out.

"Dude, we've got game station here," Joseph told John.

"We've got a Wii, a playground and lots of board games," added Kamardi Humphrey.

And the new building has something that will always be a draw for these boys - lots of friends to hang out with.

"I'm friends with almost everybody who goes here," John said. "We have a whole bunch of friends."

Making lots of friends is just one of many perks these boys enjoy as part of the Child Youth and School Services program. The new center will add to the quality of care school age children receive during the time before and after school, and during the summer and holidays. It is a major improvement over the previous SAS building, which was a renovated enlisted club.

The center was a dream of Myra Garriott, who led Child and Youth Services in the late 1990s and early 2000s before she died of cancer. Work on the building was taken over by Andre Terry, who is now chief of Child Youth and School Services.

Garriott's name is showcased as part of the building's name on the high exterior wall facing Goss Road, and a plaque honoring her efforts will be posted to the front of the building, accessible from Vincent Road. The plaque reads "Dedicated in honor of Myra Garriott, a devoted mom, wife, friend and patriot whose selfless service and diligence became the cornerstone of excellence for Child Youth and School Services throughout the Army and civilian family community."

"She was passionate about building future leaders," said Darrell Brewer, who, as the former deputy Garrison commander, hired Garriott.

"She believed the future of our great country and the foundations of our freedom began with the youth, and it was her responsibility to mold our youth and develop them along the right growth path ... She was better at doing this than anyone I met in 32 years" of service.

Calling the naming of the building a "fitting payback" for her service, Brewer said "with this building her legacy will live forever."

Though the building was long in coming and experienced several construction delays, the opportunity actually to dedicate it during this year's Month of the Military Child is very appropriate, said Garrison commander Col. Bob Pastorelli.

"There's not a better way to celebrate the Month of the Military Child than with this dedication and celebration today," he said.

Besides beginning the work on the School Age Services Center, Garriott accomplished many milestones while working at Redstone Arsenal. During her first year at the Arsenal, Garriott got the CYS up to Army standards and received national accreditation, receiving the highest marks of any Army Materiel Command CYS program. She increased families involved in CYS by 280 percent and the number of children served by 530 percent.

"She made our Child and Youth Services one of the top three in the Army," Pastorelli said. "We have never diverted from the standard she set so long ago ... We are the benefactors of her passion."

The colonel said the new state-of-the-art facility will "facilitate growth and learning for our kids ... It is a testament of the commitment to the Army family covenant and to the community covenant ... We are witnesses of a dream come true for simply a lady who loved Army kids."

Although most of the attention at Redstone Arsenal goes "to the other side of the hill" to the missile and aviation systems developed here, AMCOM and Redstone Arsenal commander Maj. Gen. Jim Myles said "the center of gravity is this building and our kids. We've now got a world-class facility for our kids."

Myles thanked several community leaders who attended the dedication, including Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle and representatives of several congressional offices.

"This is about bringing everyone together here to make a difference," he said. "It's what we do and what we teach our children who will be the future of our country."